He started off very bullish. As recently as March, England manager Roy Hodgson was still insisting he would not take players who were less than 100 per cent fit to the World Cup. By April, he was wavering. Obviously, if a man such as Steven Gerrard or Wayne Rooney was injured but could be ready in time for the match with Italy on June 14, he would be a fool to leave him at home.

And now? Hodgson may make an exception, not just for Rooney, but for Phil Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, certainly Jack Wilshere and Phil Jagielka, who has only just returned to Everton’s team. What else can he do? It is a familiar lament.

At this stage, before the last World Cup, Fabio Capello — previously considered the coldest, most rational, flint-hearted England manager in recent memory — had calls in to Paul Scholes begging him to end six years of international retirement.

Injury concern: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is one of several players who are not 100 per cent fit going into the World Cup

Which dipstick chose Luton for Hodgson?

The announcement of the England squad before a World Cup used to be an event. There is certainly no shortage of dramatic venues.

Wembley Stadium, St George’s Park, the National Football Museum.

Manager Roy Hodgson will break the news to the nation from a car factory in Luton, because somewhere there’s a few quid in it for the Football Association.

We should think ourselves lucky. If Del Boy and Rodney could have raised the cash, Hodgson might have been coming live from a lock-up in Peckham.

A veteran, and much admired, football correspondent once summed up the effect of the England job. ‘It sends them all mad in the end,’ he said. ‘Even Ron Greenwood — and he was the sanest man I ever met.’

Greenwood, we recall, was so flummoxed at having to choose between two outstanding goalkeepers in Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence that he played them both, alternately.

So what has caused Hodgson’s retreat from his previously stated position? Circumstances. ‘With the amount of people knocking quite heavily on the door,’ he added, ‘it would be a bit sad to leave out someone who is 100 per cent fit and in fantastic form for someone else who wasn’t and might just recover during the tournament.’ How true.

Yet when Hodgson got down to writing those 23 names he discovered, like the rest of us, that the squad was pretty much the squad. There weren’t crowds of qualified individuals at the door outside, anxious to join the party. Just about every good player had already been let in, heartily welcomed and was nursing a gin and tonic while making small talk on the lawn.

The impossible job: Ron Greenwood (left) runs through the drills with Geoff Hurst during the 1982 World Cup

Notice anything about everyone’s personal World Cup 23? From the most experienced former international to some bloke in the pub, they’re all the same. Give youth a chance, screams the headline. And below, the same 23 names.

World Cups are about experience, counters a wise owl. And below, the same 23 names. Give or take the odd one. Some would take three left backs, purely on the grounds that we’ve got a lot of good left backs.

The fourth striker might also be a matter for debate. Are we happy for Raheem Sterling to double in that role, as well as wing duties, or do we want Rickie Lambert on the plane? Andy Carroll offers something different, we hear: certainly if what is required is a striker who hardly scores and gives plenty of free-kicks away.

So there must have been much hollow laughter from an office at Wembley last week, if Hodgson read the comments of Lothar Matthaus, the former German captain and World Cup winner. Matthaus stated his belief that there were a lot of young players with the potential of Rooney in English football. Matthaus was a wonderful player but he really hasn’t been paying attention if he thinks there is an alternative reality, if only Hodgson would give England’s youth a chance.

Experienced: Lothar Matthaus (right) who appeared in five World Cups says England must go with youth

The inclusion of Adam Lallana, Raheem Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain, even Luke Shaw or Ross Barkley would not be Hodgson going with the kids. They are among the best 23 players in the country; they just happen to be quite young. Below them is not another layer just the same, but callow youths far removed from the standard required at this World Cup.

Hodgson may be conservative in several ways but he has never been an enemy of fledgling or untried players. He can’t afford to be. In some positions that is all he’s got and he acknowledges as much. Backtracking on his earlier announcements recently he admitted that, largely, the squad picked itself.

He doesn’t have the pimply promise of Germany in 2010. He doesn’t have the abundance that confronts other managers. Carlos Tevez, ignored by Argentina, would get in England’s starting team, let alone its 23. Philippe Coutinho, rejected by Brazil, most probably would, too.

In prime form: Adam Lallana (left) and Raheem Sterling have been outstanding this season

Recent optimism centres on the emergence of several new players this season, Sterling and Lallana in particular.

Matthaus urged Hodgson to follow Germany’s example from four years ago, with the implication that England has the talent, but not the inclination to trust it.

That isn’t true. Anyone who believes Joachim Low just threw in the kids in South Africa is deluded.He saw an outstanding young German team win the European Under 21 Championship in 2009 with a squad that included Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil, Marko Marin and Mats Hummels.

Who, from
England’s group at that time, should Capello have fast-tracked into his
World Cup plans a year later? Gabriel Agbonlahor, Lee Cattermole, Mark
Noble, Nedum Onuoha?

These
players haven’t suffered through lack of opportunity. They have
suffered because they weren’t as good as their German equivalents. In
the final, Germany beat England 4-0. Hummels, a centre back,
effortlessly slipped into holding midfield.

Golden generation: Many of the players who won Germany the U21 European Championships in 2009 were used in South Africa

We thought Phil Jones would be able to do that one day; lately he has displayed all the finesse of a human cannonball.

If Hodgson insisted on 100 per cent fitness right now he could be without Rooney, Jagielka, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones and Kyle Walker.

The replacements wouldn’t rise from the ranks of the U21s but from the fringes of the tried and failed. Adam Johnson — who has a case, but has been ignored by Hodgson — Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe, maybe Carroll.

Any kids getting a late ticket to Brazil would be battlefield promotions, with all the attendant risks. John Stones is a fine prospect, but looking at Everton’s recent games with the pressure really on, he isn’t yet ready for the Maracana Stadium.

Jon Flanagan at Liverpool has been brave
and committed, but under the harshest scrutiny doesn’t have the wit of
an international defender, right now.

Rising star: But John Stones (leftt) may have to wait for his chance with England

Sterling effort: Jon Flanagan (right) has made himself a first-team regular after coming through the ranks

So while the rallying cry is for Hodgson to throw his hat in with youth, the ones that are ready are already in. There are no scandalous oversights or omissions. We are what we are.

Indeed, the reason Greg Dyke is gathering committees to concoct hare-brained schemes to increase English participation levels is because Matthaus is quite wrong.

There aren’t 20 Rooneys who can’t catch a break. There aren’t even two. There is one and, if he’s not fit, England’s chances are halved in an instant. It’s been that way for a decade now.

The real deal: Wayne Rooney is instrumental to England's World Cup hopes

Malky Mackay has apologised to Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan, and
settled his compensation claim, so we can only presume he has a new job
and wish him well in it.

Tan will think he has won, although the
reaction at Cardiff’s last game as a Premier League concern tells a
different story.

He lost a good manager, got relegated in bottom place,
alienated the fans and must now rebuild in the Championship with a
novice in charge.

The fact that Mackay’s statement included an
endorsement of Tan and his methods, however, shows all that ever
mattered to Cardiff’s owner. It should come as no surprise.

All together now: Vincent Tan (left) and Malky Mackay during happier times

There could have been carnage in the Essex leg of the Women’s Tour of Britain, when a chap on a mobility scooter randomly crossed the road, seconds before the cyclists were due to arrive. A serious accident might have occurred. What could possess him to do such a thing, it was asked. Just a theory, but maybe he had somewhere to go and didn’t fancy hanging about for the lengthy cavalcade to pass. This is Britain, still. Not everybody puts their life on hold for the cycling.

And while we're at it

Considering he thinks it is right for Manchester City to be expelled from the Champions League, sometimes it is amusing to consider what Arsene Wenger feels is fair in football. Rewarding failure, for instance. Very fair. Arsenal, his club, have not been anywhere near the Premier League trophy for 10 years now, yet are consistently seeded in Pot 1 of the Champions League draw, and have been since 2000-01.

UEFA’s co-efficient system, which takes historical form into account and therefore protects the biggest and richest clubs from one ordinary season — or in Arsenal’s case, nine — will come to Wenger’s rescue again this summer. Despite having to go through another qualification play-off, providing Arsenal progress, Wenger already knows his team are among the highest seeds for 2014-15, no matter the fourth-place finish.

Underwhelming: Arsenal have seldom threatened the European elite but retain their status in pot 1

Manchester City, the actual champions in
two of the previous three seasons, will be in Pot 2, if lucky. Borussia
Dortmund won the Bundesliga in 2011-12 and were placed in Pot 4.
‘Nobody has ever won the Champions League from Pot 4,’ explained
Dortmund chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke. Still no word from
Wenger on this, so it’s probably fair.

Sky-high ticket prices; also fair. This season Arsenal had the highest priced season ticket in the league (£1,955) and the top priced cheapest season ticket, too, at £985. As Arsenal play Hull City on Saturday looking for their first trophy since 2005, some might think this poor value for money. Not Wenger. No word condemns Arsenal for squeezing their public, despite the advantage of a 60,000 capacity stadium.

‘The only way we can pay the wages and compete without any external help is through the ticket prices,’ he said in January 2013. ‘It is our main income so, of course, the prices are high. It is down to every individual to decide. If you want to go to a concert tomorrow, you look at the price of a ticket and if it is too high, you say yes or no.’

This is the upmarket version of like it or lump it, really. Super fair. Manchester City, meanwhile, on the back of two titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup in the last four seasons, have the cheapest prices in the Premier League, and are even the right side of three clubs in the Conference.

Wealth distribution: another area of fairness that does not set Wenger’s antennae twitching. In 2012-13, for getting eliminated at the Champions League knockout stage by the first good team they played, Arsenal pocketed £26.1million and Manchester United £29.6m.

UEFA also pass a solidarity payment to the Premier League to distribute among the other 16 clubs. Last year it was £1.3m split 16 ways — or £81,250 each. Sounds fair. Certainly, there is no complaint from Wenger.

Glory nights: Manchester City, who beat holders Bayern Munich in the group stage, are likely to be in pot 2

‘If you say to me tomorrow that the 20 Premier League clubs get £100m each, I’m OK, I’ll take the gamble,’ he said last week, with the air of a man who knows his real odds are £26.1m versus £81,250. The clubs in the Champions League command 79 per cent of the competition revenue, and Michel Platini, the UEFA president, says wealth redistribution is a matter for those clubs. Are Arsenal going to start giving away their fortune to create fairer domestic competitions? Is Wenger lobbying his friend Platini to engineer this great leap forward? Guess again.

So, for all his much-vaunted fairness, Wenger’s take on matters that affect his club is about as impartial as Jose Mourinho’s opinion of what makes a good referee. Wenger’s sense of justice is, bottom line, whatever works for him and Arsenal. Fair’s fair.